Buick 2003 LeSabre User manual

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The 2003
Le Sabre Owner Manual
SeatsandRestraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-31
AirBagSystems
...................................... 1-52
RestraintSystemCheck
............................ 1-62
Featuresand Contro[s
..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
DoorsandLocks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
................................................. 2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-1 8
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
.................................... 2-22
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-35
Onstar@System
...................................... 2-40
HomeLink@Transmitter
............................. 2-42
StorageAreas
......................................... 2-47
3UI II UUI .................................................. 2-48
Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-49
InstrumentPanel
............................................. 3-1
InstrumentPanelOverview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
...................................... 3-23
WarningLights,
Gages and Indicators ......... 3-32
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) .................. 3-47
AudioSystem(s)
....................................... 3-57
c\ . -1
Driving YourVehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road. and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-32
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under
the Hood
............................................. 5-10
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-55
Windshield WiperBladeReplacement
......... 5-60
Tires
...................................................... 5-61
AppearanceCare
..................................... 5-81
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-89
Electrical System
...................................... 5-90
Capacities and Specifications
..................... 5-98
NormalMaintenanceReplacement Parts
...... 5-99
Maintenance Schedule
..................................... 6-1
MaintenanceSchedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information
.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information .................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
index ............................................................. -1
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
HeadlampAiming ..................................... 5-51

G
GM
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7
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUICK Emblem and the name LE SABRE are
registeredtrademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includesthe latest informationat the time
it was printed.We reservethe rightto make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles
first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General
Motors of Canada Limited”for Buick Motor Division
whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle,
so it will be
there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
* sell the vehicle, please leave this manual init so the
new owner can use it.
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a Frenchcopy of this manual from your
dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many peoplereadtheir owner’s manual from beginning to
endwhen theyfirst receivetheir new vehicle. If you
do
this, itwill helpyou learnaboutthe features and controls
for yourvehicle. Inthis manual,you’ll findthat pictures
and words worktogetherto explainthings.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabeticallist of what’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Litho in
U.S.A.
@Copyright General MotorsCorporation 06/19/02
Part
No. 25735901 A First Edition All Rights Reserved

You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word
CAUTION to tell you about
things that could hurt you
if you were to ignore the
warning.
These meanthere
is somethingthat could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard
is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you
or otherscould be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t do this’’ or “Don’t let
this happen.”
...
Ill

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is somethingthat could
damage your vehicle.
A noticewill tellyou about somethingthat can damage
your vehicle. Manytimes, this damage wouldnotbe
covered by yourwarranty, and itcould becostly. But the
noticewill tell you whatto do to help avoidthe damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols insteadof text. Symbols,
usedon your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describingthe operationor informationrelating to
a specific component, control, message,gageor
indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator referencethe following
topics in the Index:
“Engine Compartment Overview”
“Instrument PanelOverview”
“Climate Controls”
0 “Audio Systems”
Also see Warning Lights, Gages and lndicaforson
page
3-32.
iv

These are some examplesof vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
POSSIBLE p\
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATERY
4CID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVO ID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR
COULD
FLAME
‘\lb
EXPLODE -
BATERY
1
LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDERBELTSTO
48: @
PROTECT OCCUPANT LIGHTING
-
MASTER B-
ENGINE
SWITCH / , \
COOLANT ~
DONOTTWISTSAFETY TEMP
-
BELT WHEN ATTACHING
SIGNALS BATTERY
TURN
CHARGING
I-1
0
SYSTEM
PARKING n-
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT
FULLY
\$$
REARWARD’ /=
SECURE
CHILD SEAT
PULL BELT
COMPLETELY
THEN SECURE
CHILD SEAT
I
f
1
DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT
IN THISSEATING
POSITION
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
BRAKE
(@)
COOLANT
d
DO NOT INSTALLA I
ENGINE
COOLANT
FAN
OWNER’S
MANUAL
SERVICE
SERVICE
a
MANUAL

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Front Seats ...................................................... 1-2
ManualSeats
................................................ 1-2
Power Seats
.................................................. 1.2
Manual Lumbar
.............................................. 1.3
Power Lumbar
............................................... 1-4
Heated Seats
................................................. 1-5
Reclining Seatbacks
........................................ 1-6
Head Restraints
............................................. 1-7
Safety
Belts ..................................................... 1-8
SafetyBelts:TheyAre for Everyone
................. 1-8
Questions and AnswersAbout Safety Belts
...... 1-12
How to WearSafety Belts Properly
................. 1-13
Driver Position
.............................................. 1-14
SafetyBeltUse During Pregnancy
.................. 1-20
Right Front Passenger Position
....................... 1-21
Center Front Passenger Position
..................... 1-22
RearSeatPassengers
.................................. 1-24
RearSafety Belt ComfortGuidesfor
Children and Smgll Ad~-I!ts ............ .... 1-28
SafetyBeltExtender ............................. 1-30
Child Restraints ...................... , ............... 1-31
Older Children
.............................................. 1-31
Infants and Young Children
............................ 1-34
Child Restraint Systems
................................. 1-37
Where to Put the Restraint
............................. 1-40
Top Strap
.................................................... 1.42
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................. 1.43
LowerAnchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
........................... 1.44
Securing a Child Restraint Designed forthe
LATCH System
......................................... 1-46
Securing a Child Restraint
in aRearSeat
Position
................................................... 1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
.................................... 1-49
Air Bag Systems ............................................ 1-52
Where Are the Air Bags?
............................... 1-55
WhenShould an AirBag Inflate?
.................... 1-57
WhatMakes an AirBag Inflate?
..................... 1-58
HowDoesanAir Bag Restrain?
..................... 1-58
What Will You SeeAfter anAir BagInflates?
....... 1-59
Servicing YourAirBag-Equipped Vehicle
......... 1-61
Fiesiraini Sysiern Cneck .................................. 1-62
CheckingYour Restraint Systems ................... 1-62
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
............................................ 1-62
1-1

Front Seats
Power Seats
Manual Seats
Y - _I can lose cor )Iof t ve :leif 1 1 tryto
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving.The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
Pull up on the control bar located under the front of the
seat
to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it
and releasethe bar. Try tomove the seatwith your body
to make sure the seat is locked into place.
If your vehicle has this feature, the controlsfor the
power seats are located
on the outboardside of each
front seat.
1-2

Horizontal Control: Raise or lower the front of the seat
cushion by pressingthe forward edge of the control
up or down.
Raise or lowerthe rear of the seat cushion by pressing
the rear edge of the control up or down.
Move the seat forward or rearward by pressing the
control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.
Move the seat higheror lower by holding the whole
control up or down.
Vertical Control
(Option): Move the seatback into a
reclined position by pressingthe top of the control
backward.
Move the seatback forward by pressing the top of the
control forward. The knob that controls this feature is located on the
outboard side of each front seat. Turn the knob toward
the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar support.
Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to decrease
iumbar support.
If you have the independent front cushion moved down
as far as it will go, you may feel the lumbar support
higher in your back. Readjustthe location of the cushion
until you are comfortable. You may also want to
adil Ict tho cnathark fnr moviml Im cnrnfnrt
UU,U“C CII” V”ULVU”I\ #“I IIICII\IIIIUIII ”VIII1VII.
1 -3

Power Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the power lumbar
control is located on
the outboard side of each
front seat. Use the
power seat control first to
get the proper position.
Then continue with
the lumbar adjustment.
To reshape the lower seatback, pressthe lumbar
control forward to increasesupport and rearward to
decrease support. Pressthe control up or down to raise
or lower the support mechanism.
Keep in mind that as your seating positionchanges,
as it may during long trips, so shouldthe positionof your
lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.
If you have the independentfront cushion moved down
as far as it will go, you may feel the lumbar support
higher in your back. Readjust the locationof the cushion
until you are comfortable. You may also want to
adjust the seatback for maximum comfort.
I -4

E
S
.c.' +
0
.-
v)
5

Reclining Seatbacks
If your vehicle has power
seats, the vertical control
describedpreviously
in this
section reclinesthe front
seatbacks.
If your vehicle has the manual recliner, lift the lever on
the outboard side of the seat and move the seatback
to the desired position. Release the lever to lock
the seatback. Pull up on the lever without pushing on
the seatback and the seatback will go to an upright
position.
L
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-6

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion canbe dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can't do their job
when you're reclined like
this.
The shoulder belt can't do its job. In a crash,
you could go into
it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt can't
do its jobeither. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces wouldbe there, not at your
pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle
is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back
in the seat andwear your safety belt
tJlUfJf.2' ly.
.-.- .-m. -
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is ciosesi: to tne iop oi your head. Tnis posiiion
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
1 -7

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not
do “h safety ’ Its.
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t
wear a safety belt properly. If you arein a
crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse.You can
hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might notbe, if you are
buckled
up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outsideof a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed.
Do not
allow people to ride inany area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes
on as a
reminder to buckle up.
See
SafetyBelt Reminder
Light
on page 3-36.
1 -8

6- C

77
r,
C (D

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it couldbe the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Won’t I betrapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be - whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbucklea safety belt,
even
if you’re upside down. And your chance
of being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckleand get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehiclestoday and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts - not insteadof them. Every air bag
system ever offeredfor sale has required the useof
safety belts. Even
if you’re in a vehicle that has
air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection.That’s true not onlyinfrontalcollisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
1-12